Stalled
by Michonyx
Summary: Jasper Hale suffers some car trouble on his way to visit his sister and gets rescued by Jacob Black and Seth Clearwater. What follows isn't just a physical journey, but also one of the heart. AH road trip with some slash scenes
1. Chapter 1: Breakdown

**Author's Note: **This is the first chapter of an AH slash story featuring Jacob, Jasper, and Seth. It's a road-trip type of thing, starting with Jasper stranded by the side of the road. If man-on-man love isn't your thing, please don't go any further. Everyone else, enjoy! :)

**Rated M for strong language, adult themes, and M/M/M love scenes**

**Disclaimer: **The Twilight books and characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. I own nothing and stand to gain nothing from this story.

Stalled

Chapter 1: Breakdown

"God DAMN it!" Jasper Hale shouted.

He didn't usually use such crude language, but his current situation warranted it. He'd decided to drive home to surprise his sister Rosalie. Her birthday was in two weeks and he figured he'd have enough time to get there. Several hours into the trip, his car had broken down in the middle of nowhere. He was alone, an hour away from the nearest town, and his cell phone wasn't showing any bars. To top it all off, it looked as if a thunderstorm was moving in. If ever there was a time for frustrated cussing, this was it.

He leaned against the driver's-side door and let his head fall back onto the roof of the car. The sun was peeking out from behind some clouds and the breeze helped cool his skin. After a couple of minutes, he pushed away from the car, turned around, and delivered a hard kick to the front tire. It didn't help him feel better; it just netted him a bruised toe and some scuffed shoe leather.

"Of all the times," he said to himself. "What am I going to do?" He sat down on the ground and leaned against the driver's door, closing his eyes and thumping his head on the warm metal. _I am well and truly fucked, _he thought.

Jasper was so lost in thought that he didn't notice the car that stopped in front of him til the driver honked the horn. He nearly fell over on his side, but he managed to catch himself before he wound up face down in the dirt. He stood up and dusted himself off, then turned his attention to the car that had startled him.

It was a 1986 Volkswagen Rabbit, older than his own Ford Tempo by at least five years. It was a faded red color, but that was the only thing that betrayed its true age. The engine was purring like a kitten and Jasper could swear that the rims on the tires were brand-new. All in all, it was a beautiful vehicle.

There were two people in the car, both male if the silhouettes were any indication. The passenger-side window rolled down and the driver leaned over to get a good look at Jasper. He took in the raised hood and said, "Car trouble?"

"Yes," Jasper said. "She just up and died on me."

"Let me take a look," the driver said. "Maybe we can get it running long enough to make it to the next town."

"I'd appreciate that," Jasper said.

The Rabbit rolled a little further up the road and parked on the shoulder ten feet in front of Jasper's Tempo. Two men got out and Jasper was immediately struck by their handsome features. They both had tan skin, long black hair, and warm brown eyes. The driver was well over six feet tall, while his companion was somewhat shorter. They walked over to the front of the Tempo and the driver bent over the engine compartment, taking in the damage. After a few minutes of inspection, he straightened up and shook his head. "Sorry to say this, but your car is a goner," he said. "How long have you had this clunker?"

Jasper bristled a little at that and squared his shoulders. "It was my father's car," he said. "He bought it in 1992 and it's been in the family ever since. Up until now, it's never been any trouble."

"Well, it's on its way to the great parking lot in the sky," the driver said. "It's almost impossible to find parts for this make and model anymore. It would cost more than it's worth to fix it up." He looked at the engine again and shook his head. "A real shame. You don't see many cars like this these days. It's a real classic."

"I know," Jasper said. "Much like your car. '86 Rabbit, right?"

"Mm-hmm," the shorter man said. "Jake rebuilt it almost from scratch. He can work magic with old cars." He grinned, as if taking pride in his companion's skill.

"I take it that you're Jake?" Jasper asked the driver.

"Yeah. Sorry for not introducing ourselves sooner. I'm Jacob Black and this excitable puppy is Seth Clearwater." He extended a hand to Jasper.

"Jasper Hale. It's a pleasure to meet you." He took the other man's hand and had to suppress a shiver as Jacob's fingers closed around his. The taller man's hand was warm to the touch and calloused from many hours of hard work. It sent a small spark of desire through Jasper's body and he barely managed to keep it under control.

"I know we just met and all," Seth said, "but can I ask where you were headed before this happened?"

"Of course," Jasper said. "I was driving to my hometown to surprise my sister for her birthday. It's two weeks off and I figured I'd have enough time to drive there. My car's been having some problems lately, but I thought she'd hold out til I got there. Shows how much I know."

"Where is your hometown?" Jacob asked.

"Forks, Washington," Jasper answered.

Seth raised his eyebrows at that. "Well, that's a coincidence. That's exactly where we're headed," he said. "We've got a family reunion on the 27th, but we figured we'd get there early to help set up." He looked to Jacob. "Maybe we could give him a ride since we're headed in the same direction."

"Sounds good," Jacob said. He turned to Jasper. "What do you think?"

Jasper gave his dead car a final look and looked up into Jacob's warm eyes. "It's a kind offer and I thank you for it. Are you sure that my luggage will fit in there?" He gestured toward the rear of the Rabbit.

"Don't worry. It'll fit," Seth said. "I'm a master at cramming more stuff into less space."

It took only a few minutes to transfer Jasper's luggage to the Rabbit and they were on their way. Once his phone had enough bars, Jasper phoned the closest garage and arranged for a tow truck to pick up his car. Afterward, he settled back in his seat and closed his eyes for a short nap. His last conscious thought was a prayer of gratitude to God for sending Jacob and Seth to him. A few seconds later, he was fast asleep.

**Author's Note: **I probably could've done better with this, but I get that feeling with a lot of things I do. Anyway, please read and review. This is my second story and I would love to know what you think of it. Thank you! :)


	2. Chapter 2: Rest Stop

**Author's Note: **Many heartfelt thank-yous to the readers who enjoyed the first chapter. I'm grateful for your enthusiasm and support. I hope that I can continue to deliver the same level of quality. :)

**Rated M for strong language, adult themes, and M/M/M love scenes**

**Disclaimer: **The Twilight books and characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. I own nothing.

Stalled

Chapter 2: Rest Stop

Of all the things that Seth thought would happen during this trip, picking up a handsome stranger hadn't been very high on the list. In fact, the possibility of such a thing had been so low as to render it pretty much unthinkable. But there he was, staring at their new passenger for what felt like the umpteenth time. There was just something about him: that honey-blond hair, those warm brown eyes, maybe the golden tan or even the barely noticeable Southern accent. Jasper had an inexplicable _thing _that kept drawing Seth's attention. It was starting to drive him nuts.

"I'd be staring at him too if I didn't have to pay attention to the road," Jacob said, a barely-repressed chuckle in his tone.

Seth blushed and sat back down. "He's just so..." He couldn't find the right word; he stumbled over the possible choices and settled on, "_Pretty._"

"I know," Jacob said. "The last time I met someone that beautiful, I wound up asking him to move in with me and my lover." He turned to look at Seth and smiled, making the younger man blush in embarrassment. The blush faded as Seth considered something he'd heard earlier.

"He mumbled something in his sleep," he said. "A couple of names. Edward and Emmett."

Jacob's smile faltered and he glanced at his lover. "Well, until he decides to say anything about it, we'll just leave it alone, okay?"

Seth nodded and they fell into a companionable silence. Jacob turned on the radio and tuned it to an '80s station. They both smiled as Duran Duran's "Hungry Like The Wolf" poured from the speakers at low volume. Jasper shifted in his sleep and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Seth noticed this and grinned. "And now we know something about him," he said. "He likes some of the same music we do."

"On the basis of just one song?" Jake asked. "For all we know, he could just be having a nice dream."

"Okay," Seth said. "But it's still a start."

Jacob shook his head and grinned at Seth's eternal optimism. He had to hand it to the younger man; once an idea got into his head, it wasn't getting out again. Seth liked Jasper, felt drawn to him. Jacob couldn't deny that he felt the same way.

"You think he might be open to a three-way relationship?" Seth asked.

_That _question had come completely out of left field. Jacob pursed his lips and concentrated on driving for the moment. It had been a while since they'd considered it, and he wasn't sure if he was ready for it right this minute. It had been over four years since they had lost Laurent and it had been difficult trying to find someone who would understand such an arrangement or want to be part of it. Jasper seemed like an okay guy, but they'd only just met him; they didn't even know if he was gay, much less open to the idea of being with two guys at the same time. Hopefully they'd find out by the time they reached Forks.

"I don't know," he finally said. "Something else we should probably keep under our hats til we get a sign one way or the other." He started drumming his index fingers on the steering wheel in time with the music.

Seth recognized this particular signal: it meant that Jake was done talking for the time being and any further discussion of the current topic would only bring stony silence. He hated when the older man got this way. The stubborn moodiness wasn't very attractive, but Laurent had taught Seth how to work around it. In fact, it was one of the first things that the handsome Jamaican had said to him the night they met.

He could almost hear Laurent's voice in his ear now: _"When Jacob goes silent and starts tapping his fingers, it means that he's done talking for the time being. At those times, it's best to just let him be. He will come back around to it when he's ready and not a moment before." _That bit of wisdom had held Seth in good stead these last four years, so he would honor it by giving Jake the space he needed. But the question demanded a real answer, not just a platitude. And Seth would get one come hell or high water.

/ \

Jasper rolled onto his back and stretched his arms over his head. He sighed contentedly and opened his eyes to find himself looking at the roof of a car that wasn't his. For a moment, he wondered where he was; then he remembered. He was in the back seat of Jacob's Rabbit, his long legs bent nearly double and his head resting on his folded-up jacket. He hadn't realized how tired he was until he'd closed his eyes. And he'd had such a _good _dream, with Jacob and Seth in starring roles. _Good GOD, I haven't had a dream like that in ages..._

He blinked a couple of times and turned his head to find Seth watching him, boundless curiosity evident in the dark brown eyes. The younger man blushed, embarrassed to have been caught staring, and hurriedly turned back around in his seat. Jasper smiled and sat up, running a hand through his tousled hair and yawning wide enough to dislocate his jaw.

"Perfect timing," Jacob said. Jasper caught a glimpse of a wide grin and sparkling brown eyes in the rear-view mirror. "We just pulled into a rest stop. If nature's calling, now's the time to answer." He grinned and was out of the car before Jasper could say anything.

Well, he _did _need to piss. The last time he'd been able to use any facilities was right before he'd left and his bladder felt as if it was about to burst. So this would be a good time to deal with it.

He got out of the car and stretched his arms over his head, working the kinks out of his muscles. "Mmmmmmm..." It felt good to move after spending who knew how long sleeping in such a position. Jasper opened his eyes to find Seth looking at him again. Those dark brown eyes stayed locked on him as he lowered his arms; the younger man couldn't seem to tear his gaze away. Jasper winked at him and he was rewarded with an almost audible gulp and a deep blush.

_Hmmmm...seems like someone's fascinated with me. I wonder if Jacob feels the same way,_ Jasper thought to himself. He'd always had a way of drawing people to him. It wasn't something he had to try very hard to do; it was as if he had some kind of super-charisma. Although it was a useful gift, it had caused its fair share of problems, none of which were foremost in his mind right now.

He was almost to the restroom door when he thought of something he'd been meaning to ask before he went to sleep. Turning to Seth and Jacob, he was about to voice his question when he saw that they were talking in hushed tones with the smaller man gesturing emphatically. It was a few seconds before they noticed him watching and when they did, they fell silent and simply looked at him.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that they'd been talking about him. Jasper decided that his question could wait and he headed in to tend to his business.

The restroom was much cleaner than he'd anticipated, every surface gleaming as if it had just been polished. It was either brand-new or the cleaners took their duties more seriously than most. He stepped to the nearest urinal, unzipped, and let loose.

_Aaaaaaaah...sweet relief, _he thought. It didn't take too long. It never did; he'd always been good that way. When he was done, he zipped up and headed to the sink to wash his hands. He grinned when he caught sight of his reflection: a couple of dark circles under his eyes, his wavy blond hair a little unkempt but appealingly so, and his shirt was a little wrinkled from having been slept in. He couldn't pinpoint what had Seth so fascinated, but he figured he'd find out soon. Some people couldn't hide their emotions very well, and Seth seemed like the type who wore his heart on his sleeve. It was just a matter of time.

Jasper finished washing his hands and was about to dry them when the door opened and Seth came in. The younger man looked somewhat flushed, as if he'd just run a marathon. He saw Jasper standing there and nearly jumped out of his skin. "I...I'm sorry," he stammered. "I just wanted to..." He fell silent as he tried to come up with a plausible excuse and he blushed harder.

Jasper chuckled and said, "You and Jake seemed deep in conversation out there. Do I want to know what it was about?" He turned back to the sink and dried his hands.

"We were...talking about you," Seth said. _One suspicion confirmed, _Jasper thought. He kept his ears open as the smaller man went on. "I raised a question while you were asleep and we were arguing about whether to mention it to you."

"Go ahead and ask it," Jasper said. "I'll do my best to answer it." He had a feeling that he knew what the question was, and it was probably best to get it out of the way before the trip went any further.

Seth took a deep breath and just let it rip. "Are you gay?"

Jasper turned around and looked right at Seth. "Yes, I am," he said. "Somehow I doubt that that was the question, even though it _is _related. What's the real question?"

That made Seth blush even more. "Well, uh..." he started, but his voice failed him again. After a minute, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, there was a determination in the dark-brown orbs that was frightening in its intensity. "To hell with it," the younger man said. With that sentiment, he walked right up to Jasper, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and pulled him down into a mind-melting kiss.

Jasper was frozen by the sudden move, and not just because of the complete shock of the situation. He lifted his hands to try and push Seth back and instead he grabbed two fistfuls of the man's hair, using it to pull him closer. They both growled as Jasper pushed his tongue into Seth's mouth, the sound pushing them to go further. This went on for nearly a minute and they might have gone further if not for someone they'd all but forgotten.

"Hey, guys, what's taking you so...?" Jake's question died before he could finish and he stood there, stunned into silence by the sight of his lover and their passenger locking lips in a rest-stop bathroom.

The sound of Jacob's voice snapped Seth and Jasper out of their trance. Jasper looked from Jacob to Seth and back again, breathing hard and not knowing what to say. He dashed out the door, narrowly missing Jacob by only a inch and a half.

Jacob stared after Jasper for a second, then turned to Seth. After a long moment, he finally said, "You couldn't have waited til we got to the hotel before doing that?"

Seth shrugged. "Maybe. But I figured why not ask him. So I did."

Jake's jaw dropped and it took a second for him to regain his voice. "You asked him if he wanted a threesome?"

"I was going to, but I chickened out," Seth said. "So I asked if he was gay. Good news: he is." He grinned as Jacob shook his head. "What? At least now we know for sure. And he certainly seems open to the possibility of being with us. Or at least, with me."

"Still," Jacob said, "you should've waited til we got to the hotel. What if your little stunt scared him off? He might try hitchhiking the rest of the way to his destination, and God only knows what could happen to him if he does."

"I know, I know," Seth said. "You're right, Jake. I just couldn't wait anymore. You know how I get when I've got a question stuck in my head."

"Yeah," Jacob said and he grinned. "Okay, let's find Jasper and get going. We've still got some traveling to do before it gets dark."

Seth nodded and took Jacob's hand. The younger man knew he'd screwed up and he would apologize to their passenger at the first opportunity. But at least now he had one of the answers he'd been after; it was just a matter of time before the others would come.

**Author's Note: **The end of Chapter 2. This one feels like a mess, but what can you expect when half the action takes place in a restroom? XD At any rate, the story should begin to pick up speed in the next chapter. Please read and review. Thank you! :)


	3. Chapter 3: Search and Reflection

**Author's note: **This one will focus on Jacob for the most part and his reaction to what he saw. Hopefully it will give a little insight into why he's reluctant to try approaching Jasper the way Seth did.

**Rated M for strong language, adult themes, and M/M love scenes**

**Disclaimer: **The Twilight books and characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. I own nothing.

Stalled

Chapter 3: Search and Reflection

Jacob and Seth exited the restroom and split up to look for Jasper. Hopefully the blond hadn't gotten too far; if he got lost, he might not be able to find his way back. And that was something that Jacob didn't want on his conscience. Thankfully, Jasper's luggage was still in the Rabbit, so that was one worry crossed off the list.

_Calm down, _he told himself. _It's only been a minute or two. He couldn't have gotten very far. You'll find him in no time. _That thought calmed him somewhat, but the uneasiness lingered.

He noticed a clump of crushed weeds at the far corner of the rest stop. The outline of a shoe was fresh and unmistakeable. _Aha, _Jake thought. _There we go. _He vaulted over the corrugated metal fence, scaring a couple of preening sparrows. He ignored them as they launched themselves into the air and followed the trail into the forest.

It had rained pretty recently and Jacob was able to spot Jasper's trail easily enough. Jacob thanked God that the man had stayed on the path; if he'd gotten it into his head to leave it, it would have made Jacob and Seth's job much harder.

The sounds of the forest surrounded Jacob and he took his time, looking for any sign of Jasper. Birds chirping, the wind whispering through the branches of the trees; he even swore he spotted a deer or two. After about twenty minutes, he stopped and sat down to rest for a bit. The tree he chose was a fairly young pine with plentiful shade; after checking to make sure that it wasn't leaking sap, he leaned back and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and slowly released it. It helped calm him further and he nearly fell asleep. But something spoke up and reminded him why he was out here.

_Don't you have someone to find? _his voice of reason asked. _You can't leave Jasper out here by himself. _

Jacob opened his eyes and looked up to the sky. _I'm just resting for a minute, _he told the voice. _It's not going to take too much time._

_Maybe not, _the voice replied, _but you have to find him before nightfall. I don't want my boys stumbling around in the dark._

Jacob smiled to himself. _You worry too much, Laurent, _he thought. _We've got plenty of time. It'll be hours before the sun sets._

The voice took on the gently chiding tone that Laurent had used when he was trying to reason with Jacob. _Be that as it may, neither you, Seth, nor Jasper know this area. If you go much further, you might not be able to find your way back. So please be careful, love. I'm not ready for either of you to join me just yet._

_Stop being such a mother hen, _Jacob thought as he stood up. _We'll find him and be back on the road in a few minutes._

_Good, _the Laurent-voice said. _Now put an egg in your shoe and beat it. Time's a-wastin'._

Jacob chuckled at that and got back on the trail. As he walked, he thought about the voice for what seemed like the millionth time.

The first time he'd heard Laurent's voice was a couple of days after the funeral. Jacob and Seth had been contacted by Laurent's lawyer, a silver-blonde woman named Irina, concerning his estate. He hadn't had any living relatives, so he'd left everything to them. Jacob had gotten the impression that Irina might've cared more for Laurent than would be considered professional; he couldn't help wondering if anything had happened between them.

And that was when it happened. Laurent's voice had piped up, clear as crystal: _Nothing ever happened with her, love. You and Seth were the center of my world; I could not and _did not _cheat on you. Now pay attention. You need to hear what she's saying._

After that, it was almost _too _easy to trigger it. All he had to do was ask himself what Laurent would've thought or done in a given situation and the voice would come. On several occasions, the voice had arisen spontaneously due to extreme stress. Whatever the cause, it had never steered him wrong, although it did have him questioning his sanity. There were times when Jacob seriously wondered if he hadn't driven himself crazy out of grief. He'd heard that such things could happen after a severe emotional trauma.

So far, the voice hadn't had a negative impact on his life. But Jacob knew that he couldn't continue to rely on it. If he did, he'd most likely wind up in a straitjacket, a consequence to be avoided at all costs.

It had been a couple of months since he'd last heard the voice. He'd believed that he was finally starting to move on and _then...WHAM!_ A handsome man who possessed many of Laurent's finer qualities wound up falling right into his and Seth's laps. The universe had a sick sense of humor.

Jacob stopped and closed his eyes. He rubbed his temples in an attempt to forestall the incipient headache. While it did help somewhat, it didn't stop the pain entirely. He sighed and lowered his hands, taking several deep breaths. When he felt calm again, he resumed his search.

It wasn't long before his mind turned to Seth's question. It was good to know that Jasper preferred plugs to sockets, but that didn't necessarily mean that he'd be open to the kind of relationship that Jacob and Seth wanted. Maintaining a two-person relationship was hard enough; doing the same with three people required an exponential increase in effort.

Jacob had been lucky in that regard. Laurent had taken to Seth almost immediately and had been the one to suggest that he join them. It had been a rare moment of complete agreement between the two men. They'd had to wait several months before the three of them could consummate the relationship, but it had been well worth it. The following three years had been some of the happiest of Jacob's life.

And then Laurent had died, leaving an emptiness that proved impossible to fill. Jacob had been nearly inconsolable, sleeping most of the day and barely eating or bathing. Seth had cared for him the whole time, putting his own feelings on the back burner to tend to Jake's wounded soul. After almost five months, the pain had started to fade and when another three had passed, he and Seth had started to discuss finding another partner.

Such discussions tended to be short-lived. Jacob found that he was unwilling or unable to let go of Laurent completely and for him, even thinking of trying to find a replacement was tantamount to adultery. All this even though he knew for a fucking FACT that Laurent would have wanted him and Seth to be happy, and if they found a new third, so much the better. He wouldn't have wanted them to mourn him for the rest of their lives; he would've wanted them to move on and find whatever love was waiting for them.

Seth had finally managed to talk Jake into dating, if only to test the waters. There were countless one-night stands and the occasional fling; a few guys had expressed interest in a threesome, but only if there were no expectations of anything permanent. After numerous disappointments, Jacob had had enough and called a time-out, making it clear to Seth that they would continue with the one-night stands, but that their search for a new third was over. If they were destined to find such a man, it would happen when they weren't looking for him; it would be a case of supreme serendipity. That had been four years ago.

Which brought them to the present and their current situation. Here was a man they both found attractive, one that they both wanted and who seemed to want the both of them. They hadn't expected to find Jasper; he fulfilled Jacob's serendipity clause to the letter. So now it was time for Jacob to put his money where his mouth was.

He hadn't paid much attention to the path and he found himself standing on the shore of a small lake. He looked around and spotted Jasper sitting on the shore roughly fifty feet to his left.

_Well, go on, _Laurent whispered in his head. _Go talk to him._

Repeating to himself that the voice had yet to lead him down the wrong path, Jacob pushed down the growing trepidation and walked over to Jasper.

**Author's Note: **Wow, but this one got really wordy, didn't it? I don't think any chapter of my previous work has quite captured my love of exposition like this one has. This sucker was a rush job, done in about five hours. If I've made any errors, I apologize. As always, please read and review. Thank you. :)


	4. Chapter 4: Lost Time

**Author's Note: **I think I did a pretty good job of the last chapter, considering that it was a rush job. I hope that some of you had the same opinion; if not, that's perfectly fine. I'm having fun with this story and I feel that it's going to last a while. And on that hopeful note, on with the chapter.

**Rated M for strong language, adult themes, and M/M/M love scenes**

**Disclaimer: **The Twilight books and characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. I own nothing.

Stalled

Chapter 4: Lost Time

Jasper had headed off into the forest without really paying attention to where he was going. He just followed the path and found himself on the shore of a lake that stretched off as far as he could see to the north and south. The forest huddled close to the shore and followed the arc of sand, surrounding the lake on all sides. It was quite beautiful.

But Jasper could hardly appreciate it. His mind was whirling with what had happened in the restroom: Seth kissing him, kissing Seth back, Jacob catching them. He couldn't stop thinking of how Seth's lips had felt on his: warm and soft, just begging for Jasper to slip his tongue between them and explore his sweet mouth. He'd wanted to do so much more, to just bend the younger man over and proceed to satisfy a long-buried hunger. And he had the feeling that Seth wouldn't have stopped him.

And then Jacob had come in and caught them. The look on his face when he saw what was going on... It was enough to break Jasper's heart. He couldn't risk that again. Jacob and Seth had been kind enough to give him a ride all the way to Forks and he repaid that favor by coming between them.

He sat down and hugged his knees, staring out over the lake. The water reflected the sunlight into his eyes, dazzling him just a bit; it was nothing he couldn't handle. He had bigger worries at the moment. Like how he could fix the damage he'd just caused.

Jasper didn't know how long he sat there. His thoughts were still whirling and he was no closer to a solution.

_How could I be so thoughtless? _he wondered. _They have a great relationship and I've damaged it in such a selfish and hurtful way. There must be some way..._

His musings were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. He turned to see who was coming and his stomach dropped as he saw Jacob bearing down like a tidal wave.

Jasper was about to get up and try to make a run for it when Jacob stopped and sat down next to him. The bigger man rested his arms on his knees and stared out over the water, staying eerily silent. After a few minutes, Jasper felt compelled to say something, _anything _to break the silence.

"Jacob, I..." he started.

"Jazz, please," Jacob said. Jasper's eyes widened at that. It had been a long time since anyone had called him that. Over two years, if memory served. It pulled at a long-dormant heartstring and brought a tear to his eye.

"I'm so sorry," Jasper said. "I didn't mean for that to happen. If I had thought for one moment..."

Jacob cut him off with a look and a raised hand. "Just stop, please," he said. Jasper shut his mouth and waited with mounting dread.

Another set of footsteps came crashing through the forest to Jasper's left and he and Jacob turned their heads in time to see Seth hit the shore at a dead run. He came to a hard stop and nearly fell into the water, his long pinwheeling arms moving barely fast enough to keep him from falling headlong into the drink. However, the move wasn't enough to keep him from landing on his ass, bruising his tailbone on an inconveniently placed rock. Jasper and Jacob looked at him, then at each other, and back at Seth before laughing like they'd heard the best joke in the world. Seth gave them a narrow-eyed look that promised vengeance of Biblical proportions as he stood up and rubbed his sore butt.

"Sure," he said. "Laugh at the clumsy kid. You wouldn't think it was so funny if your butt was poked by a sharp rock."

"Funny," Jacob replied. "You didn't mind your butt getting poked last night." The sunlight made his grin blindingly white; Jasper had to look away before his retinas were damaged.

"That's different," Seth said. "That was fun. This is just painful." He kept rubbing his sore ass, hissing as he hit a sensitive spot.

Jasper did his best to keep his eyes from following the motion. Jacob noticed Jasper's bashfulness and smiled again.

"It's all right, man," Jake said. "If I was going to bust your melon for kissing him, I'd have done it back there." He jerked a thumb back toward the rest stop.

"I wouldn't blame you if you did," Jasper said. "I had no right to touch him. Especially since you were kind enough to help me out of a tough spot."

"Don't blame yourself," Seth said. "That was totally my fault. I wanted to know if you were open to the possibility of a threeway. I just figured I'd take the slow road."

"If that was your idea of the slow road, I shudder to think of how you would define fast," Jasper said. They shared a small laugh over that and when things calmed down, Jasper went back to staring at the lake.

It was a few minutes before Seth dared to speak up. "Why'd you run? The kiss wasn't _that _bad," he said with what he hoped was an effortless smile.

"Because I thought that I might have done some damage to your relationship," Jasper replied. "And I was afraid that Jake might be about to tear my head off."

"Oh, please," Seth said. He grinned and Jasper noticed just how much he looked like Jacob. "I've kissed lots of guys in front of Jake and he's never tried to tear their heads off. We're no strangers to inviting other guys to play with us from time to time."

"So you're into threesomes," Jasper said. His voice was too flat to make his words a proper question.

"Mm-hmm," Jacob said. "We had a threeway relationship for a few years; it wasn't just playing around. We loved him and he loved us. It wasn't always wine and roses, but it was a good thing."

"Yeah," Seth said. "I came into it kinda late, but that didn't matter. It was the best time of my life."

Jasper looked from Seth to Jacob, seeing the truth of their words and the naked honesty of their emotions. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and – finally – spoke of his own experience.

"I was in a relationship like that too," he said, "with two men who I loved very much. Emmett McCarty and Edward Cullen."

He swallowed, trying to wet his suddenly dry throat. Seth laid a hand on his shoulder, not moving it, just offering comfort. Jacob covered it with his own hand and Jasper was grateful for the show of support. It gave him the strength to go ahead with his story.

"I met them at my sister's birthday party one year. Emmett was Rosalie's best friend and my best friend Alice was Edward's sister. Rose and Ali thought it would be a good idea to get the three of us together. We had to be very careful. In the circles that we were accustomed to, such a thing was frowned upon. And God knows that we didn't hit it off that night. It took several weeks before we were able to tolerate each other as anything more than acquaintances."

Jasper chuckled as he went back over that period of his life. "Emmett and I were almost complete opposites. He was loud, boisterous, a real risk-taker. I, on the other hand, was calm, quiet, and cautious. If it had been the two of us alone, I don't think we would've lasted two minutes, much less two years. That was where Edward came in. He was the diplomat of our little trio, always playing the peacekeeper. Whatever disagreement Emmett and I had, Edward was able to see the way through and help us work things out. He was a miracle worker that way."

"Sounds like we might've gotten along," Jacob said.

"There wouldn't have been any _might've_ about it. He would've liked the both of you right off the bat," Jasper said. "Edward was one of the purest, most trusting souls I've ever met. He had this...this chameleonlike quality to him; he could enter a room or a situation without knowing anything about anyone and inside of fifteen minutes, he'd be able to tell you everyone's life story. It was as if he could read minds; that's how good he was." Jasper swallowed again and continued. "He was considering a career in diplomacy. He would've been good at it, a true master."

The hitch in Jasper's voice at the words 'would've been good at it' caught Jacob's attention. Tilting Jasper's face up so he could look into those brown eyes, he asked, "What happened?"

Jasper's eyes started to swim; the tears were close to the surface now. "Acute lymphocytic leukemia," he said. "An aggressive strain. He hid it well; Emmett and I never even knew he was sick til right near the end." He took a couple of deep breaths to try and calm down; he was only partially successful. "We sat with him and cared for him while he just wasted away. It took two weeks, but he died peacefully, in his sleep."

Seth hugged him and kissed his cheek, then laid his head on Jasper's shoulder. Jasper could feel a warm wetness on his shirt and he knew that the younger man was crying. Seth was hurting on Jasper's behalf and crying for someone he'd never known. Jasper wrapped an arm around his waist and squeezed; Jacob hugged them both in his long arms and pressed his forehead to Jasper's.

_Good God, how do I deserve such a pair? _Jasper thought. He'd only known them a few hours, but he'd gotten comfortable enough to tell them about Edward. _How is it possible to trust someone so much after only a couple of hours? _That was one question that he supposed he'd never be able to answer.

"What about afterward?" Jacob asked, his voice husky with barely contained sadness. "Were you and Emmett able to keep going?"

Jasper shook his head. "We tried to keep the relationship going, but ultimately we couldn't. It was maybe five weeks before we mutually agreed that it just wasn't working anymore. We packed up the apartment and put it up for sale; we kept in touch for a couple of months after that, but eventually even that stopped. Rose and Ali understood what had gone wrong; ordinarily they would have done their damnedest to get us back together. But they were able to curb their meddling that one time. I was more grateful to them than they knew."

He looked up at the sky, watching a few cotton-ball clouds float by. "It was three weeks after we stopped talking that I got the news. Emmett had been on a rock-climbing retreat; he'd been about a thousand feet up a cliff when his equipment failed. He fell the whole way down, bounced off several ledges, and broke half the bones in his body. He was dead before he hit the ground."

A few tears escaped then and he wiped them away. It still hurt after all this time; the pain was just as sharp now as it had been in that first moment.

"I went to the funeral. I met his family and two of his lovers. Paul was the one he'd been dating at the time of his accident; in fact, the rock climbing had been Paul's idea. I could tell that he blamed himself for it. I told him that it wasn't his fault, that it had been a simple case of equipment failure and it could have happened to anyone. He left feeling a little better, I think."

"What about the other lover?" Seth asked. "Was he dating Emmett at the same time as Paul?"

"No," Jasper said. "Quil and Emmett had dated while Emmett was still in college. That was seven years ago." He remembered Quil vividly; they'd met at Emmett's funeral, got to talking, and wound up spending a pleasant evening together.

"I had a one-night stand with Quil," Jasper said. "It was a good night, but one destined not to be repeated. The next day, he went back to his boyfriend and I went back to my life. That was two years ago; I haven't been with anyone since."

Seth's eyes widened at that. "Seriously? Like, nobody as in _nobody_?" His voice held more than a pinch of disbelief. "That's hard to believe. I can't imagine that anyone as sexy as you would be alone for very long."

"It was a personal choice," Jasper said. "I'd loved Emmett and Edward very much; I poured my whole heart into it and losing them was too much to take. I needed to take a break from dating and sex, so I lost myself in my work. I haven't wanted to be with anyone else since. So when you kissed me, it unlocked two years of world-class sublimation." He closed his eyes and nearly drowned in the memory of that kiss; he felt himself start to grow hard and he blushed.

"Well, you don't have to worry about that," Jacob said. "You can make out with him whenever you want on this trip. Within reason, of course." He grinned and Jasper wondered what kind of teeth-whitening system he used. And then Jacob surprised him by leaning in and kissing him.

Jacob's lips were as soft as Seth's, and just as talented. Jasper whimpered softly as he leaned into the larger man's embrace, his hands braced on Jacob's waist and Seth's arms wrapped around them both. The electricity between the three of them was palpable, but Jasper wasn't ready for anything more at this time. He gently broke the kiss and looked up into Jacob's warm brown eyes. All three men were flushed and breathing a little hard.

"We should get going," Jasper said. His voice was huskier than usual, heavy with pent-up desire. "I've put enough of a dent in our travel time with my foolishness."

"Yeah," Jacob said, his voice just as ragged. "We're going to have to break the speed limit if we want to make the hotel before dark." He stood and held his hands out to Jasper and Seth; they each took one and Jacob hauled them up easily.

Seth took their hands in his and they started back to the rest stop. Along the way, Jasper wondered what was happening to him. He wasn't usually the type to just give in to his emotions, and yet he found himself desiring these two kindhearted men with a fiery passion; they had both kissed him and he had surprised himself by kissing them back and wanting more. It was almost more than he could take.

He'd promised himself that he would never go looking for love again; if love was truly in the cards for him, it knew where to find him. And it seemed that it had. The universe had a truly wicked sense of humor; it was forcing him to make up for lost time.

Jasper didn't know it, but he and Jacob had one thing in common: they'd both scrapped any active plans to find love and had decided to trust their romantic destinies to the vagaries of fate. Considering what would happen later, that was probably the best choice either of them could make.

**Author's Note: **And now we know why Jasper was so flustered about the kiss. I might've been channeling some tearjerker movie; I don't know. Anyway, this is the last chapter of 2011. I hope you all have a happy New Year. Please read and review and thank you. :)


	5. Chapter 5: Getting To Know You

**Author's Note: **I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I know it's been a while, but I promise that I will make up for lost time. This story just would not stay still. I'm surprised that it didn't try to crawl out of my head on its own; that's how slippery it and its siblings are. In this chapter, Jacob and Seth will tell Jasper how they met and what happened to Laurent. Also, Jasper will fill in some of the details of his childhood. This is going to be a long one. Now, with that out of the way, on with the show! :D

**Rated M for adult themes, strong language, and M/M love scenes**

**Disclaimer: **The Twilight books and characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. I own nothing and stand to gain nothing from this story.

Stalled

Chapter 5: Getting To Know You

The next three days went by without any further freakouts. Seth and Jacob gave Jasper plenty of hints (Jacob's subtle, Seth's not so much) that he was welcome to share a room with them whenever he wished. Jasper politely yet firmly declined each invitation; as much as he would've liked to join them, he didn't quite feel up to trying anything. He didn't trust himself to be alone with either of them yet, no matter how much all three of them might want it.

Seth was starting to show the strain of waiting. His impatience was growing, as evidenced by that morning's incident: when Jasper woke them up for breakfast, the younger man had answered the door stark naked. Jasper had blushed five shades of red and turned away as fast as humanly possible, but it hadn't been fast enough to keep him from taking in the view of Seth's trim body and half-aroused cock. Jacob had pushed the door closed and proceeded to chew his lover out in hushed but audible tones. When they emerged twenty minutes later, Seth looked appropriately ashamed and apologized to Jasper for surprising him that way. Jasper had assured him that there was nothing to forgive and they'd gone on to breakfast.

They pulled into the parking lot of a small but well-tended motel at around six-thirty in the evening. The sunset was a sight to behold, painting every white surface a beautiful shade of reddish-orange. The trio got their luggage and entered the tastefully decorated lobby. It was a beautiful room; the wallpaper was white with green ivy vines printed on it and the turquoise carpet was thick enough that their feet sank nearly an inch into it. There was a pair of coffee tables on either side of the lobby; each table was flanked by two overstuffed armchairs with green upholstery.

The desk clerk was behind the counter. She looked to be in her mid to late fifties and was as well-padded as the armchairs. She graced them with a bright smile as they approached the counter. "Hello, and welcome to the Emerald Ivy Motel," she said. "I'm Beulah, the owner and head of staff. How may I help you fine gentlemen this evening?"

Jasper looked Beulah over. She was just shy of five feet four and weighed nearly two hundred pounds; despite her girth, she carried herself with the grace and confidence of a woman half her size. And while she looked like a grandmother, Jasper felt that it wouldn't be a good idea to piss her off. There was a quiet strength to her. It was evident that she'd seen a lot in her life and wouldn't hesitate to use that strength if she felt it was necessary.

"We'd like two rooms, please," he said after a moment. "One for me and one for my friends. Right next to each other if possible." He handed her a credit card; she swiped it through a card reader and handed it right back.

"Very well, sir," Beulah said. She turned and plucked two keys from the pegboard behind her, laying them on the counter. She typed on the computer for a second and said, "Are you sure you need two rooms, sir? I could've sworn the three of you were together."

The three men looked at each other with wide eyes. Jasper turned back to her and was just opening his mouth when she waved his unvoiced objections away.

"Don't worry, sir," she said. "It makes no never-mind to me. I've been around the block a couple of times and hardly anything shocks me anymore. What three healthy young men do in the privacy of a bedroom is no concern of mine. And public displays of affection are fine by me too, as long as you don't grope each other in front of anyone." Beulah smiled and winked as she said that last part. Jasper blushed slightly. He took her statement to mean that if they were to touch each other in front of her, she wouldn't object. Hell, she'd probably enjoy it.

She smiled and said, "People get so riled up over the stupidest things these days. Myself, I say that if two men want to hold hands and kiss each other in public, more power to them."

Jasper couldn't agree more. He smiled and said, "You make a very good point. Would you happen to know of a good place to eat around here?"

Beulah switched back to business mode. "There's a bar/diner right across the street. It's open all hours, in case you get a hankering for a grilled cheese at two in the morning. If you go for dinner, I recommend the bacon cheeseburgers and chili fries. Mention my name and you'll get a bottomless pitcher of iced tea." She got Jacob and Seth's names and finished typing. "A word of caution: Rhonda Mae is a wizard when it comes to cooking just about anything, but stay away from the tuna casserole."

"Why's that?" Seth asked.

"You boys know the story of King Midas?" she asked. They nodded. "Rhonda Mae's the opposite when it comes to any kind of seafood. It just turns to shit whenever she touches it. So mind me and don't go near it."

"Thanks for the advice, ma'am," Jacob said. "We'll take it to heart." He flashed his most winning smile and Beulah blushed just a bit.

Jasper had gotten to know the power of Jacob's smile very well over the last few days. He'd felt its effect every time Jake had flashed it at him. He felt his cock twitch at the memory and took a deep breath, releasing it after a few seconds. "Indeed we will," he said. He took the keys from the counter, handing one to Jacob.

Beulah smiled again in her grandmotherly way. "You're in room 109, sir, and your companions are in room 110. They're to your left as you leave the lobby. We hope that you enjoy your stay." She turned and bellowed, "Barry! Get your butt out here and help our guests with their luggage!" The men winced a little as she issued this order. Seth's eyes crossed and he shook his head to try and disperse the nonexistent hearing loss.

The young man who answered Beulah's summons was a sight to behold. Barry was a few inches shorter than Jacob, with a leaner frame and an unruly mop of wavy black hair down to his shoulders. His jade-green eyes were clear and when they lit on Jasper, they widened just a bit. The snow-pale skin of his cheeks took on a faint tinge of red and he just stood there staring. Jasper was slightly unnerved by the intensity of the scrutiny. It wasn't until Jacob moved in front of him and blocked Barry's view that he felt somewhat safe again.

Beulah snapped her fingers in front of Barry's face, startling him and bringing his full attention to her. "Don't stand there gawping, boy. Help our guests with their luggage, please. Rooms 109 and 110," she said. He moved to obey, keeping his eyes locked on Jasper the whole time. Jacob's frown deepened and he moved to block Barry's view again, allowing a menacing look to show on his face. Barry's own face went even paler than before and he grabbed the luggage cart, loading the half dozen suitcases onto it and hustling out the door. He nearly tripped over his own feet in his haste to get away from the intimidating giant.

"I'm sorry about that," Beulah said. "Barry's a sweet boy, but he is a mite distractable. He usually reserves that stare for his favorite actor." She narrowed her eyes a little and studied Jasper for a moment. "Come to think of it, you _do _sort of resemble him."

"I get that sometimes," Jasper said. "I can assure you that I'm not him." He blushed a little at the compliment; it got to him every time, no matter how many times he heard it.

"I can see that; you're a little taller. Still, Barry can't always tell the difference between fantasy and reality; you'd better get after him before he decides to make off with a pair of your shorts." Jacob and Seth chuckled a little at that and quieted down when Jasper gave them a narrow look.

"Couple of final points and I'll leave you be," Beulah said. "Don't wear yourselves out _too _much tonight; you look like you've got some traveling ahead of you. And checkout time is ten AM. Sweet dreams." She gave them one last knowing smile, turned, and headed into the office. The door made a soft click as it closed.

They took her advice and followed Barry out the door; they found him standing in front of room 110, the suitcases stacked neatly on the luggage cart and Jasper's duffel bag hooked over one shoulder. Once again, Jasper was somewhat disturbed by the way the younger man was staring at him. Barry handed him the duffel bag, their fingertips brushing. It took all of Jasper's self-control not to snatch it from the younger man's hand.

"If there's anything y'all might need, please don't hesitate to ask," Barry said in a soft drawl. He said those words to all three of them, but it was obvious that he was speaking only to Jasper.

"Thank you, but we've got everything we need at the moment," Jasper said, trying to keep a civil tone and succeeding for the most part. Barry was a sweet kid, but he wasn't Jasper's type. Still, Jasper wasn't one to just dash someone's hopes with a sledgehammer. If there was a way to let the kid down easy, he'd find it. "If we think of something, you'll be the first to know."

Barry beamed at him and practically ran back into the main lobby. Jasper just stared at the glass doors for a moment, then shook his head and turned to Jacob and Seth. Their expressions did nothing to help tone down his discomfort; both men were grinning like idiots.

"Looks like someone's got an admirer," Seth said in a singsong voice. His whole body was shaking with barely suppressed laughter.

"Yeah," Jacob said. His grin was wider than usual; apparently Jasper's predicament tickled him as well. "I think he might try to ask you to the prom later. What'll you wear?"

"That's a moot question, since I have no intention of going out with him. Now, can we please get our luggage situated so we can get some dinner?" Jasper unlocked his room and headed inside, bumping the door frame with his suitcase in his haste.

Seth grinned and looked up at Jake. "I don't think he wants to talk about it anymore," he said. "And did you notice how his accent thickened the more agitated he got?"

"Yeah," Jacob said. "Let's just drop it for now, okay? It's been a while since anyone's looked at him like they wanted to bend him over. It probably knocked him for a loop." He hefted his and Seth's suitcases and tapped the bottom of the door with the toe of his sneaker. "Now, would you please open the door? I want to get cleaned up a little before we eat."

/ \

It was almost seven when Jacob, Jasper, and Seth met up outside their rooms to go to dinner. Jacob and Seth were dressed in long-sleeved T-shirts, blue jeans, and sneakers, while Jasper was wearing a dark-green button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, black jeans, and black loafers. They'd each overdone the cologne a little, but it wasn't overpowering to the point of knocking them out. They made quite a handsome trio as they stood there, doing a last once-over before heading over to the diner.

The smell of frying grease hit their noses as soon as they entered. The interior was brightly lit and done up like a saloon. A rectangular bar was situated in the middle of the floor and the kitchen was off to the right. There were perhaps twenty or so people scattered around the tables and booths; they gave the new arrivals an appraising look and went back to their meals. The two couples in the middle of the makeshift dance floor paid the trio no mind.

Seth grinned as he noticed a jukebox right next to the entrance and he made a beeline for it. In a matter of moments, Bon Jovi's "Livin' On A Prayer" was playing at low volume through strategically placed speakers recessed in the ceiling.

The three men chose a booth diagonal to the bar and made themselves comfortable. A waitress in her late teens sidled up and pulled an order pad from the left pocket of her apron. The light glinted off of her polished name tag, clearly showing the name Margie embossed on it. "What'll it be, sirs?" she asked in a bubbly tone of voice.

"We'll have three bacon cheeseburgers and chili fries," Seth said. "Beulah recommended them."

"Very good choice, sir," Margie said. She grinned as she scribbled on the pad and looked at them again. "That comes with our bottomless pitcher of iced tea. Just let us know when you've had enough; otherwise, it'll just keep on coming." She giggled as Jacob smiled at her. The high-wattage smile was working overtime tonight; Jasper grinned and hoped that Jacob's battery didn't wear out too soon.

"Your order will be ready in twenty minutes. I'll bring the tea right out." Margie turned and headed off with a little bounce in her step. The move was no doubt intended to bring attention to her well-toned rear. _She might as well save herself the trouble, _Jasper thought. _Then again, a little harmless flirting can be fun. _He smiled and turned his attention back to his companions. "So... what'll we talk about while we wait?" he asked.

"Why don't you decide?" Seth said. "Ask us anything."

"Okay," Jasper said. He thought for a moment and finally said, "How did you two meet?"

Jacob and Seth exchanged a knowing smile. Jacob turned back to Jasper and said, "Our first meeting was a little unusual. We were walking down some street or other, headed in opposite directions, and we kinda...bumped into each other."

"He's not telling it right," Seth said. He grinned and continued, "I picked his pocket."

Jasper's eyes widened. "Damn," he said. "I knew you had some balls, kid, but you must've known that you were taking your life in your hands trying to steal from him."

"Yep," Seth said. His grin widened. "I haven't done it for a few years, except to keep in practice. You never know when you might need to use certain skills again and I wanted to keep it sharp. Like I did a couple of minutes ago on the way over here." He waggled his eyebrows at Jasper and angled his eyes downward a bit, a small smile curving his lips. "Missing anything?"

Come to think of it, Seth _had _bumped into him during the fifty-second walk across the street. Jasper checked his pockets and sure enough, his wallet and cell phone were gone. He shot a look at Seth, who raised his hands from under the table and laid Jasper's belongings in the center of the polished surface. His grin was wide enough that Jasper half expected the top of his head to fall backward and hit the floor.

Jasper returned his things to their proper places and gave Seth a slightly reproachful look. "Was that really necessary?" he asked.

"Not really," Jacob said, "but it helps to have a visual aid sometimes." He folded his hands on the table and got back to the story. "Luckily for me, he wasn't a very good pickpocket. It took me maybe a second before I realized what had happened and I took off after him."

"And damn, he was _fast_," Seth said. "That really shocked me; most guys as big as Jake aren't known for setting land speed records. Anyway, I kept looking behind me and he was always right there, just out of grabbing range. He basically ran me down like a cheetah hunting a gazelle." He looped his arm through Jacob's and pressed his cheek to the bigger man's shoulder. "Long story short: I ran; he chased. I ducked down a blind alley; he caught me. I thought I was about to get beaten to within an inch of my life. Instead, he invited me to stay with him and Laurent. Not being a moron, I accepted his offer. The end."

"Not quite," Jacob said. "It took some convincing, but Laurent agreed to let Seth stay with us. It didn't take long for us to fall in love with him. Thankfully, we didn't have to wait too long to act on our desires. He turned eighteen a couple of months later." He kissed Seth's temple and smiled. "We'd been wanting to try a threesome for a while, but we hadn't been able to find anyone we thought we could trust. We had to go slowly; we didn't want to risk freaking Seth out and driving him away."

"As if!" Seth said with a short laugh. "I was hot for the both of you from day one. You couldn't have blown me out of there with a nuclear bomb."

Margie showed up just then, setting three glasses and a pitcher of iced tea on the table. "Here you go, sirs," she said. "Your food will be ready in a few minutes. Is there anything else I can get you?"

"Not right now," Jasper said. "But thank you." He gave her a small smile and a wink. The girl blushed, turned on one heel, and headed back into the kitchen. Jasper had the feeling that she was trying to figure out how to slip them her number without seeming too desperate.

"Well," Seth said, picking up the story again, "that first night was something I'm not going to forget even if I go senile. It was my first time ever and they were very patient with me. I was nervous, but once I got a taste, I wanted to try _everything_."

"He was so revved up that he came almost as soon as he was naked," Jacob said. He grinned as the memory played out in his head. "He'd only just stripped out of his clothes and next thing we know, he was blasting off before we laid more than a finger on him. But that was hardly the end." He took a sip of his tea and licked his lips. Jasper watched the movement with laserlike focus, fighting the urge to copy it. Going by the knowing look in Jacob's eyes, it was plain that he knew what Jasper wanted to do.

Jacob dove back into the story. "It was a memorable night. Seth was a regular Energizer bunny; he just couldn't get enough. Hardly a day went by during that first month that he wasn't pulling me and/or Laurent into the bedroom or bathroom or whichever room had enough space. It was a miracle that we had _any _energy left after he got through with us most nights."

Seth blushed bright red at Jacob's assessment. "For God's sake, Jake, why don't you just announce it to the whole world?" he asked.

"Oh, come on, baby," Jacob said. "You're hardly shy when it comes to talking about sex. But Laurent and I were seriously wondering if you had too much testosterone or something. Most teenage boys are walking hormone bombs just waiting for the right time to explode, but you put them all to shame." He turned back to Jasper. "This one time, he hauled us down to the laundry room in the basement of our apartment building and he just – "

"Okay!" Seth said, perhaps a little too loudly. He cleared his throat and took a moment to calm himself. Once he was able to stop blushing, he said, "I think Jazz gets it, Jake. I was a sex fiend, willing to do it anywhere anytime. Thank God that you and Laurent were the only guys I wanted; I might've turned into Miami's biggest slut otherwise." He looked around to see if he'd drawn any undue attention with his little outburst. No one was paying any mind to their talk.

He'd timed that statement to coincide with Jacob's next swallow of tea. The bigger man spluttered, nearly choking on the icy liquid and sending a mouthful of it onto the table. Jasper laughed and used several napkins to wipe up the spill. "That was good timing, kid," he said. He balled up the napkins and set them in the ashtray. "So, I gather that things between you three ran smoother than greased ice?"

"Not always," Jacob said. "There were some kinks to work out. You know how it is; it's not easy to integrate a third party into a preexisting relationship. Not to mention we had to figure out how to explain Seth's presence without looking like perverts. The story we finally cooked up was that Seth was my recently orphaned cousin and Laurent and I had taken him in. The little guy looked enough like me that people didn't question it too closely, but we did get a few raised eyebrows after we finally consummated the relationship. Seth was well past the age of consent by then, so nobody called the cops on us." Jake downed the rest of his tea in one long gulp and set his glass down.

"And now, the more mundane details," Seth said, "Jacob gave me a job in his auto shop and I got my GED. I went to college, took some night classes, graduated in less than three years. We celebrated that milestone by going to Disney World." He grinned as he replayed the memory in his head. "I loved it, but what made that trip so special was that Jake and Laurent were there with me. It wouldn't have been the same without them."

"I can imagine," Jasper said. He'd have felt the same way if it had been him, Emmett, and Edward. He sighed to himself, putting the what-ifs aside. There was a question that had popped into his head and it was begging to be answered. "Now I'm probably digging into something that's best left alone, but I can't help feeling that there's a twist coming. What happened to Laurent?"

Margie chose this moment to deliver their food and refill Jacob's glass. She beamed at them and asked, "How's everything going?"

"It's going fine," Jacob said, smiling at her. "Could we have three beers, please? If it wouldn't be too much trouble." He took a sip of his fresh tea.

"Of course, sir," Margie said. "Any particular brand?"

"No," Seth said. "Anything'll do."

"Okay. I'll be right back." She turned fast enough on one heel that they caught a glimpse of her panties before her skirt settled and she made a beeline for the bar. She was back thirty seconds later with three Budweisers. "Here you go. Anything else, just holler." She gave them a wide smile and dashed back to the kitchen.

"Wow," Seth said. "I gotta say, I never thought I'd see 'service with a smile' personified. You think they have comment cards here?"

"Don't know," Jasper said, "but I know what I'd put on mine. She's very good at what she does." He looked at Jacob, who'd finished his tea in two gulps and cracked open his beer. The bigger man seemed a little out of sorts, and Jasper sensed that it had something to do with his question. He figured that he'd try to put Jacob's mind at ease. "If I've overstepped my bounds, I'm sorry. Let's just make like I never asked that." He picked up one of his fries and nibbled on the end of it.

Jacob fiddled with his beer for a few seconds and then sighed, having come to a decision. "No, it's all right. It's a fair question and we'll answer it. You deserve the whole story." He took a healthy swig of the beer and set it down. "It was a rainy afternoon a couple of months after the Disney World trip. Laurent went to the market because I'd forgotten to pick up tomato sauce and peppers for his homemade pizza. He was just coming out when this white Toyota rolled out of nowhere and a masked gunman sprayed the whole storefront with bullets. He got hit several times, but it was the shot to the forehead that killed him. The medical examiner said that he died instantly, so he probably didn't suffer." Jacob paused for a moment, fiddling with his beer bottle. Seth reached over and laid his hand on his lover's wrist, stroking the smooth russet skin with his thumb. The contact calmed Jacob a little, enough that his voice regained its strength. He took a deep breath and looked Jasper in the eyes as he finished the story. "They got the guy a couple of days later. He was some punk kid, barely out of high school. Not even old enough to vote; he'd been doing some kind of gang initiation. He was tried as an adult and sentenced to life in prison. Which, if you ask me, wasn't nearly enough." He picked up his burger and bit down, taking nearly half of it in a single mouthful. There was no doubt in Jasper's mind that Jake was picturing the killer's neck between his teeth.

"Jake was a mess for a long time after that," Seth said. "He functioned well enough: he ate, slept, maintained contact with his friends. There were nightmares; some of them were bad enough that he'd wake up screaming, drenched in sweat. It took nearly a year, but he got better. That was four years ago." He picked a chili fry off Jasper's plate and popped it in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. "Three years seems like a long time to a lot of people, but when you're in love, it feels like just a few seconds. It doesn't seem nearly long enough to do everything you'd like to do. But you make the best of the time you have because you never know when it might end."

Seth took a bite of his burger, chased it with a swig of beer, and said, "And now you know pretty much the whole story. It felt good to talk about it, even if it hurt."

Jacob nodded in agreement and said, "Okay. You've heard pretty much our entire life story. Now it's your turn to get grilled like a steak." He smiled and thought for a minute; the question he came up with wasn't entirely unexpected, but it still caught Jasper by surprise. "What was your childhood like?"

Now it was Jasper's turn on the hot plate. He ate a couple of fries and a bite of his burger, buying a little time to get his memories straight. There was plenty to go through and he wanted to get it right the first time. Finally, he said, "I spent the first six years of my life in an orphanage in Houston. It wasn't an easy existence, but I got through it. I was adopted by the Hales a little before my seventh birthday. It was a definite surprise for me. I wasn't very outgoing or friendly, and I didn't exactly invite close contact. Yet people of all ages just seemed drawn to me. I could never figure it out. It felt weird, being so magnetic." He toyed with another fry for a moment before eating it. "They brought Rosalie with them because they figured that she should have a say in the matter. We played for a while, did the usual things that little boys and girls do. After maybe an hour, she declared that she wanted me for a brother."

Jacob grinned and chuckled, shaking his head as he pictured that scene. "Sounds like she was a real spitfire," he said. "Has that changed at all?"

"No," Jasper said with a grin of his own. "Rosalie's always been strong-willed. She knows what she wants and how to get it, and she's steamrolled over quite a few people to accomplish her goals. But she isn't the soulless type. She may come across as a stone-cold bitch, but she's got a heart bigger than all outdoors." He downed half his beer and went on. "When the Hales adopted me, she and I were the same age and had the same birthday. And we looked so much alike that people naturally assumed we were twins. We considered correcting that assumption, but we figured it would be a waste of time and energy that we could put to better use. So we just rolled with it."

"Good idea," Seth said. He'd gone through half his food while Jasper had been talking. It was uncanny how much food the boy could put away in so short a time.

"Anyway," Jasper said, "we moved to Dallas when Rose and I were sixteen. Father had gotten a good job and Mother was all set to take the social scene by storm. She groomed the two of us for the limelight, hoping to draw the kind of attention that would improve her and Father's social standing. Our parents had designs on being part of the loftier circles of wealth and power. It was their hope that Rosalie and I would marry into well-to-do families and increase their own visibility. They needn't have bothered; we didn't want to marry, at least not for our parents' reasons. Rosalie wanted to find true love and I'd recently discovered that the flowery debutantes Mother kept setting me up with were not to my taste. When I made her aware of my true preferences, she just about blew a blood vessel." He looked out the window and smiled to himself. That was one of his more pleasant memories.

"I'll bet," Jacob said. "Finding out that her son prefers plugs to sockets must've thrown her for a huge loop. So...what was your type back then?"

"I didn't have a type per se. I just knew that I was more attracted to men than to women." Jasper turned back to Jacob and Seth. For once, the younger man was keeping his mouth shut. _It must be giving him a mental hernia to keep his questions bottled up like that, _Jasper thought. _He's probably like a kid in the proverbial candy store right now._

He thought for a minute, ordering his thoughts for the next stage. "As for looks... A man can have a body like a Greek statue and the face of an angel, but he also has to have a brain. Intelligence is one of my bigger turn-ons, although I have had fun with guys who were dumb as tree stumps. Aside from that, my tastes just seem to run every which way when it comes to men."

Jacob and Seth nodded. They could understand that. No one ever knew what life would throw at them, so it was best to keep an open mind.

"Hey," Seth said. "Let's finish our food before it gets cold. We can talk some more afterward." On that note, they all dug in.

They ate in silence for a few minutes. Jacob was chewing the last bite of his burger, looking out the window and studying the night sky. Jasper couldn't resist taking the opportunity to study him. The big man had such a warm heart and a generous spirit; coupled with his winning smile, obvious intelligence, and fit body, Jacob was someone that Jasper could find himself falling for.

Jasper turned to watch Seth at the jukebox. The younger man was studying the selections, trying to find a song that would fit the evening. Jasper smiled to himself as Seth frowned a little, his forehead wrinkling in the cutest way. With his boundless optimism and energy, the smaller man was someone that any person, man or woman, would be proud to be paired with. And while not as big as Jacob, his body was definitely something to behold, as Jasper knew very well.

_Damn, _he thought. _If I don't do something about my attraction to them soon, the universe will find a way to make it happen. And it _won't _be gentle about it._ He managed to compose himself; he still had some time to figure things out.

Seth finally found the song he was looking for. He got back to the booth just as another Bon Jovi song started playing.

"Seriously? 'Blaze of Glory'?" Jacob asked. "Are you kidding me?" He looked like he was about to backhand his lover. "I can't stand that song."

"Well, you'll just have to grin and bear it. I _loves _it," Seth said, an evil little smile on his face. He turned to Jasper. "No clue why, but he hates this one like you wouldn't believe." That smile told Jasper that Seth knew _exactly _why it pissed Jacob off.

"Because my sister played it nonstop one summer when we were kids and you know it," Jacob said, confirming Jasper's suspicion. "She wore out the vinyl in less than two weeks and just when I thought I had some peace, she found it on CD. I wanted to break it over her head." He scowled and started nursing his second beer.

Seth shook his head in a slightly pitying way, then turned back to Jasper. "So what do you do? Did you take after your dad and go into his line of work?"

"No," Jasper said. "Finance and bank management was never my cup of tea. I chose something that was more in line with my temperament. I did a stint in the Marines, working my way up to gunnery sergeant faster than was considered normal. I don't know if it had to do with my unusual magnetism, but I didn't question it. I received an honorable discharge and formed an IT company, Whitlock Technologies. It's done very well, so much so that my parents decided to overlook my 'unfortunate predilection', as Mother puts it. In any event, I took some time off to visit Rosalie for her birthday. I was maybe four hours out of Houston when my car died. You know the rest." He smiled and finished his beer.

"But why travel by car?" Jacob asked. "You can obviously afford a plane ticket and it would've saved you some time to boot. Why drive that clunker?"

"For the same reason as you, I'm guessing," Jasper replied. "I wanted to do some sightseeing and I could afford the gas, which is _not _cheap these days. And I figured that you had to make allowances for Seth's. . .urges." He gave them a small wink on the last word, earning a blush from both men. "And I drove the Tempo because it was my first car. In retrospect, I probably should've used one of my other vehicles, but that one got me through some of the best times of my life. And it managed to pull off a doozy of a magic trick on its last ride, didn't it?"

"Uh-huh," Seth said. "If it hadn't broken down, you wouldn't have met us." He grinned and filched another fry from Jasper's plate. Jasper decided to let it go.

"Indeed. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed myself so much during a road trip. Quite the piece of serendipity." Jasper drained the last of his beer and signaled for another.

Seth frowned a little. "What's that mean?" he asked.

Jacob was the one who answered. "It mean 'happy accident'," he said offhandedly. He noticed Jasper and Seth's surprised looks and said, "What? I read. I _do _have a brain in this oversized noggin, you know."

"Yeah, we know. It's just that you hardly ever use it," Seth quipped. That earned him a narrow look and a head slap from Jacob.

If Jasper smiled any more, it would be stuck on his face for the rest of his life. He didn't want his time with these two to end, and yet he knew that an ending was inevitable. So he'd take a page from Seth's book: He would enjoy this time with them while he could and let the fine details sort themselves out. Who knew? Maybe their association would last past their arrival in Forks. He wouldn't mind that.

_After all, _he thought, _you never know how much time you'll have and who you might find to share it with._

**Author's Note: **This chapter just would not stop. It's easily THE longest chapter in any of my stories. I fit a lot of details in here; I hope they don't slow down the story too much. I should count myself lucky that the chapter decided to hit the brakes on its own; otherwise, it probably would've gone on for another few pages. Enough rambling. You know the drill: Please read and review. Thank you very much. :)


	6. Chapter 6: Giving In

**Author's Note: **Finally, I'm getting back to this one. I've missed Stalled so much; it feels good to start a new chapter. This is going to be a short one, but it'll get Jasper pointed in the right direction. In this one, he'll finally give in to his feelings for Jacob and Seth with some encouragement from an unexpected source. Should be a roarin' good time. :)

**Rated M for strong language, adult themes, and M/M/M love scenes**

**Disclaimer: **The Twilight stories and characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. I own nothing.

Stalled

Chapter 6: Giving In

It was just after midnight as the trio walked back to the motel holding each other's hands. Now they stood in front of Jacob and Seth's motel-room door. Jasper had planned to head to his room, but Seth refused to let go of his hand; he was holding onto it as if it were a life preserver.

"Stay with us tonight?" he asked. "Please?"

Jasper looked into Seth's big brown eyes and heard the pleading tone in his voice. He wanted to say that it wasn't the right time, that they didn't know each other well enough yet. But his more rational self knew that was bullshit. They'd shared the most important details of their lives over the last few days; most of the details were good, the rest not so much. Jasper was just trying to find a way to avoid getting emotionally tangled. He also knew that it was far too late for that.

He looked up at Jacob and saw Seth's plea echoed in the bigger man's eyes. Jasper's heart melted. There was no way he could resist the both of them giving him the big puppy-dog eyes at the same time. That made his decision easy.

"All right," he said. "Just give me a minute to gather up my belongings and I'll join you in a bit. Okay?"

Seth grinned and nodded. He grabbed the room key from Jacob and opened their door. He paused with one foot over the threshold and said, "I'll be counting the seconds, Jazz. Don't keep us waiting too long." And with that, he blew Jasper a kiss and disappeared into the room.

Jacob grinned and turned to Jasper. "Better hurry," he said. "He's not kidding." He followed the smaller man into the room and closed the door.

Jasper smiled and shook his head, heading into his own room. This evening had taken some interesting turns; he'd had a great time. As first dates went, this one had gone better than he could've dreamed.

He froze for a second as he realized what had just gone through his mind.

_Date? _he thought. _When did it become a date?_ He suddenly felt dizzy and he rushed into the bathroom. He looked in the mirror and saw an expression of mingled hope and dread. _I haven't been on a date for so long. I haven't even thought about looking for a relationship since Emmett died. I'm not ready... _He leaned forward and closed his eyes, bracing his hands on the counter as he tried to catch his breath. _Good Lord... What would Edward and Emmett think?_

A familiar honey-smooth voice piped up just then: _What are you waiting for, Jasper? Go to them._

Jasper's eyes widened a bit. _Okay, now I'm going insane, _he thought. _I'm hearing Edward's voice just as I'm about to vent two years' worth of pent-up energy_.

He could practically hear Edward's soft laugh bouncing around inside his head. _You're not going crazy, Jasper, _the voice said. _You're on the right path; Jacob and Seth already love you so much. They can help you move forward, if you're willing to let them in._

_He's got a point, Jazz, _a different voice said. It was deeper, more resonant, and had a more carefree tone. Jasper knew he was losing it now; it was Emmett's voice. The booming laugh ricocheted in his mind for a few seconds before the voice resumed talking. _Two years is long enough. You don't have to mourn us forever, you know._

_I know, _Jasper thought. _But it's scary to think about moving on. What if...?_

_Enough of that, _the Edward-voice said. _Do you really think that we'd want you to be alone for the rest of your life? Stop making excuses and just go to them._

_Listen to him, _the Emmett-voice said. _You can't take yourself out of the rodeo forever. Time to jump back up on the horse, cowboy. _Jasper could practically see the smirk on the big man's face.

"What if they don't feel the same way?" he asked his reflection.

_They feel the same way, Jazz, _the Emmett-voice replied. _They both kissed you. And why else would Seth have answered the door this morning totally bare-ass? He wants you, and so does Jacob. Grab this chance, cowboy. You need it. What's more, you _deserve _it._

Jasper had to admit that the Emmett-voice made a lot of sense. He stared at himself in the mirror for a few more seconds, considering the possibilities. It was very likely that his grip on reality had slipped somewhat; why else would he be hearing his dead lovers' voices right now? On the other hand, his heart could be asking him to accept that it was time to move on and take a chance with someone new. Using Edward and Emmett's voices was just one facet of a more far-reaching process.

He splashed some water on his face to calm himself further. He knew that the voices were right. He couldn't avoid the possibility of love forever; this trip with Jacob and Seth proved it beyond any doubt. If he didn't grab this chance, he might never get another.

"All right," he said. "Time to climb back in the saddle."

It took him all of thirty seconds to gather up his luggage. He took one look around the room to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything, then he headed on out.

**Author's Note: **I know, it's a short one. They can't all be epic novels. And if I'm overusing the 'voices' bit, please let me know. Last thing I want to do is alienate anyone with over-the-top cliches. Anyway, the next chapter will have a good deal more action in it, I promise. Please read and review. :)


	7. Chapter 7: One Last Nerve

**Author's Note: **I'm sorry for being so slow with this story. I've been having trouble determining just how and when the love scene is going to happen. The last chapter dealt with Jasper's doubts; this one will deal with Seth and Jacob's own reservations. After that, I promise you that the big scene will commence. I thank my readers for their patience; it will be rewarded. Please read and review. Thank you. :)

**Rated M for strong language, adult themes, and M/M/M love scenes**

**Disclaimer: **The Twilight books and characters are owned by Stephenie Meyer. I own nothing except my OC's.

Stalled

Chapter 7: One Last Nerve

Seth started pacing as soon as Jacob closed the door. He was moving back and forth at a pace that would've had him bouncing off the walls if he'd gotten anywhere near them. Jacob got dizzy after a few seconds and caught the smaller man in his arms, wrapping them tight around his lover's slender frame.

"Shhhhh," Jacob whispered, trying to calm Seth down. He rubbed Seth's back in slow circles, hoping to dispel some of his lover's nervous energy. "Calmness," he said. "Try to stay calm."

"I don't. . .think. . .I can, Jake," Seth said. He sounded as if he was starting to hyperventilate. "He said. . ._yes_! He's. . .gonna be here. . .with us. . .in a couple of minutes. . ." His voice trailed off and he tried to get free of Jacob's arms, his nerves gearing up for another round of pacing. Jacob tightened his grip, holding Seth with enough force to keep him pinned but not enough to hurt him.

"You need to calm down, baby," Jake said. "You're liable to give yourself an aneurysm if you keep this up." He hugged Seth a little tighter and nuzzled his neck; the action served to calm Seth almost immediately. "And that would be a shame. You gonna go out and leave Jasper thinking you're a cocktease?" Jacob couldn't help chuckling at that.

Seth lifted his eyes to shoot a glare at Jake and failed; he wound up laughing with him and his nerves stopped trying to jump out of his skin. He snuggled deeper into Jacob's arms and pressed his face into the bigger man's chest. He felt so peaceful now; it was hard to believe that he'd been bouncing off the walls a minute ago. When he felt calm enough, he turned around in Jake's arms and leaned on his lover's solid torso.

"I love you so much," Jacob whispered in his ear, cinching the declaration with a kiss to Seth's cheek.

Seth closed his eyes and sighed contentedly as he undid his belt. He kicked off his shoes and pushed his jeans down til they fell to his ankles; he stepped out of them and kicked them over beside the nightstand. Jacob made short work of pulling the t-shirt off, leaving Seth in just his blue boxer shorts. Jacob wrapped Seth in his arms again and pressed his nose into Seth's skin, inhaling his lover's clean scent.

"Mmmmm. . .You smell fucking delicious," he said. He punctuated the statement with a long slow lick that ended with his tongue probing inside Seth's ear. The younger man moaned and grabbed onto Jacob's thighs, digging his blunt fingernails into the rough denim covering them. He turned his head to face Jacob and they kissed, the bigger man's hands pressing flat on Seth's stomach.

When they came up for air, Seth was feeling much calmer. He looked up at Jacob, a small sweet smile on his lips. "Thank you," he said.

"It was my pleasure," Jacob said, giving Seth a loving grin. "You can always count on me to be there for you." He kissed Seth's forehead and gave his six-pack abs a gentle pat. "It would've scared Jasper if he'd come in while you were like that."

"I know," Seth said. "I know I've been impatient and hyper; that little stunt I pulled this morning is proof enough of that. And I know you said that we weren't going to look for a third anymore. But what I'm feeling for Jasper. . . I can't describe it, but it feels right. And I know you love him too." He turned and wrapped his arms around Jacob's waist, looking up into his lover's eyes. "I want him to be with us, to stay with us. What do you think?"

Jacob chewed his lip for a few seconds, coming to terms with his feelings before answering. "I want him to stay with us too. But when this trip is over, he'll be headed back to Houston and us to Miami. A long-distance relationship is hard enough to pull off when it involves two people. How much harder would it be with three?"

Seth looked up at him and smiled. "Only one way to find out," he said. "We do it. If it's meant to be, we'll know."

Jacob grinned and shook his head; he couldn't believe Seth sometimes. "How on earth did you get so optimistic?"

"Just lucky, I guess," Seth said. He started chewing his lip. "Jasper's taking his own sweet time, don't you think?"

"Please don't start pacing again," Jacob said. "Just thinking about it is starting to work my last nerve and I need _all_ of my nerve for when he gets here. So _please _be patient. I'm sure he'll be here any minute."

As if to prove him right, four loud knocks sounded from the other side of the door. Jacob and Seth stared at each other for a second; then Seth untangled himself from Jacob's arms and headed over to the door. He took hold of the knob and after taking a deep calming breath, he opened it.

**Author's Note: **Another rush job, but I think it holds together well. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for it; I have no excuse. All I can say is that I tried to force the love scene before it was ready and it kept getting snarled in my head. Hopefully now I'll be able to finish it. Thank you all for your patience. :)


	8. Chapter 8: Close To You

**Author's Note: **I'm sorry it's taken so long to get this one posted. I had the hardest time trying to crank this one out. Thank you for your patience. :)

**Rated M for adult themes, strong language, and M/M/M love scenes**

**Disclaimer: **The Twilight books and characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. I own nothing.

Stalled

Chapter 8: Close To You

Jasper had his hand raised to knock again when the door opened to reveal Seth in blue boxer shorts. _At least he's wearing something this time, _he thought and then had to suppress a giggle fit that would have come off as hysterical. His resolve was starting to weaken and he was fighting a strong urge to run screaming into the night. The sight of the angel before him went a long way toward dispelling it.

Seth's smile lit up his whole face. "You made it," he said. He stood aside and held the door open.

Jasper stepped inside and set his luggage down next to the dresser. He rubbed his hands together to try and burn off a little nervous energy. "I almost didn't," he said. "Part of me was seriously considering trying to run the rest of the way to Forks."

Jacob chuckled softly at that. He removed his shirt and laid it over the back of one chair before taking off his shoes and socks. Jasper licked his lips as he caught a glimpse of the silver-dollar-sized nipples. He _really _wanted to suck on those proud beauties. Then he blushed as he realized that Jacob had caught him staring.

Jacob smiled and hugged Jasper from behind, wrapping his arms around the blond man's waist. "That's nothing," he said. "You should've seen Seth a couple of minutes ago. He was practically bouncing off the walls, he was so anxious for you to get in here." He brushed Jasper's hair aside and nuzzled the lightly tanned skin just under the blond man's right ear.

Jasper's breath hitched and he leaned back in Jacob's arms. He could feel those large nipples stiffening and poking his back through his shirt. He reached one hand up and cupped the back of Jacob's neck, rubbing back and forth. Jacob purred as Jasper pulled him into a small kiss, a gentle press of lips that ended with Jasper tracing the other man's lips with his tongue. Jacob opened his mouth and coiled his tongue around Jasper's, pulling it inside and sucking on it. Both men moaned softly, maintaining the kiss until they had to come up for air. They were panting a little and Jasper's eyes were glazed over.

Seth watched them for a few seconds before closing the door and joining them, taking Jasper's other hand in his own and squeezing it. He looked the blond man in the eyes and said, "You wanna hear nothing? Jake was more nervous than I was." Jacob shot him a dirty look over Jasper's shoulder, but it did nothing to slow his mouth down. "He was going on about how my pacing was working his last nerve and he needed _all _of his nerve for when you got here."

Jacob reached out one hand and tried grabbing for Seth's wrist, but the smaller man evaded him easily and giggled at the expression of mock fury on his lover's face. Seth moved in closer and Jasper and Jacob both wrapped their arms around him, pulling him close. They each planted a kiss on his forehead and he snuggled up to them, laying his head on Jasper's shoulder.

They stayed like this for what felt like an eternity. After a minute or two, Seth pulled back a little and started unbuttoning Jasper's shirt. He intended to take it slow so he could draw out the experience. But when he reached the third button, his impatience got the better of him; he let loose a small snarl of frustration and ripped the shirt open, sending buttons flying every which way. Most of the little bits of plastic wound up littering the carpet around their feet. But somehow or other, one of them flew over Jasper's shoulder and tapped Jake on the cheek. They followed the button's flight from Jacob's cheek to its final landing spot on top of the television.

Jasper couldn't keep the smile off his face as he looked Seth in the eyes and said, "You owe me a new shirt, young man. This one was a particular favorite of mine." He shrugged off the ruined garment and tossed it in the trash can. He toed off his shoes and socks moments later and he reveled in the feel of the carpet under his bare feet.

Seth returned the smile. "Next Wal-Mart we visit, I promise," he said. He moved back into Jasper and Jacob's arms and hugged them both as tight as he could. He pressed his cheek to Jasper's bare chest and sighed contentedly

Jasper lowered his head til his lips were almost brushing Seth's ear. "I love you so much," he said. He turned his head to look at Jacob. "Both of you." _There, _he thought. _I can't take the words back now. And I never want to._

Seth grinned and pulled Jasper into a kiss, crushing their lips together almost hard enough to split them. Jasper could have sworn that he heard their teeth click against each other. It was nearly a full two minutes before they had to come up for air. Jasper had known that Seth would be enthusiastic about it; he wondered how Jacob would react.

He didn't have to wait long to find out. When Seth let go, Jacob leaned over Jasper's shoulder and claimed his lips, slipping his tongue into the blond man's mouth. They moaned as their tongues dueled, sliding along and around each other. Jasper had been wanting to kiss Jacob for days, but he'd never found the right moment. Before tonight, the chaste touch of lips by the lakeside had been the only time and hadn't lasted nearly long enough. Now they had enough time to explore each other properly and Jasper was going to take full advantage of it.

He combed his fingers through Jacob's hair, grabbing two fistfuls of that luxurious black hair and tugging on it a few times. Jacob's response was to grab Jasper's ass and pull him tighter against his body, showing the blond man just how aroused he was. Their groins rubbed together, the rough denim making a soft rasping as they moved against each other. Jacob growled low in his throat while Jasper emitted a higher-pitched whimper, which was somewhat humiliating but somehow still appropriate to the moment.

Jasper broke the kiss and looked up into Jacob's eyes. What he saw had him melting in the bigger man's arms. There was such love and desire in the molten chocolate depths. It was as if a fire had been lit inside them, the glow was that bright.

Jacob took a couple of steps back from Jasper, not taking his eyes off of him or Seth. Jacob undid his belt, pulled it loose, and carelessly tossed it aside; then he shucked his jeans down to his ankles and kicked them off, revealing the distinct absence of any underwear. He stood up straight, his cock hanging hard and heavy, and waited for Jasper's reaction.

Jasper couldn't hold back a moan as Jacob's dick came into view and swelled to its full size. Simply put, it was one of the most beautiful things Jasper had ever seen: ten inches long and maybe three around, curving slightly upward above a set of balls that any bull would've envied. He licked his lips and reached out one hand, ghosting his fingertips along the top of the shaft. The skin was smooth and hot with throbbing veins just under the surface. The foreskin was stretched around the red tip, a drop of clear juice oozing from the slit.

He wrapped his fingers around the swollen organ and gave it a few slow strokes, eliciting a low moan from Jacob. The sound made Jasper's cock twitch in his jeans and he groaned at the tightness. He undid his belt and zipper and pulled his cock out, sighing in relief as the cool air of the room caressed his leaking tip. He worked his own foreskin back and forth, shivering as he touched himself for the first time in two years. He leaned his head on Jacob's shoulder, his eyes glued to the motion of his hands as Jacob wrapped an arm around Jasper's shoulders. _This is damn near perfect, _Jasper thought. _Feels like something's missing, though. . . ._

The slow jerking went on for a full minute before Jasper realized he'd totally forgotten about Seth. He turned his head toward the younger man and wasn't surprised by what he found.

Seth had removed his boxers and was leaning against the wall, watching Jasper and Jacob and stroking his own rigid cock. His eyes were wide and unblinking, as if he thought the sight before him would disappear if he closed them. His breath was coming in short shuddering jerks, his cheeks flushed and his nipples standing at full attention. He was breathtaking.

Jasper released his cock and reached out to Seth. "Come here, sugar," he said softly. "Need you." Seth obeyed without hesitation, moving over to his lovers and wrapping an arm around each of them.

Jasper was starting to have difficulty breathing. His nerves and hormones were waging war inside him, making it difficult to decide between running and staying. His hands made up his mind for him as he gripped their dicks and gave them several good strokes. Seth whimpered and Jacob groaned; a pearly drop of precum leaked from each swollen knob. Jasper's nose twitched as he caught the potent scent of their desire.

He sank to his knees with his dick poking out of his fly and looked from one rod to the other, comparing and contrasting the two. Seth's dick was an inch shorter and thinner than Jacob's, with the same smooth russet-toned skin. The foreskin had retracted to expose the head and Jasper couldn't resist swirling his tongue around the reddened flesh. He dipped the tip of his tongue into the slit and scooped out a bit of Seth's juice. They both moaned as Seth grabbed a fistful of Jasper's hair and started pushing his cock deeper into the blond man's mouth. He didn't stop til his balls were pressed to Jasper's chin.

Jasper swallowed around Seth's rod and was rewarded with a low whimper. The steel-hard shaft felt so right resting on his tongue, all hot and throbbing as it leaked more juice down Jasper's throat. He bobbed his head a couple of times and Seth cried out as Jasper's tongue hit the sensitive spot just below the slit. The younger man's fingers clenched in Jasper's hair, giving the golden strands a good pull before loosening their grip.

Jacob wrapped one arm around Seth's waist and watched as Jasper sucked him. The beautiful brown eyes were half-closed and glazed over as he worked Seth's cock with his mouth and fingers. Then he looked at his own cock with the long slim fingers of Jasper's other hand curled around it and groaned as Jasper ran his thumb over the leaking slit, smearing Jacob's precum and making the red flesh glisten. Jacob purred as Jasper slid the foreskin slid back and forth over the sensitive head; his knees felt weak as the pleasure moved through his body. He did the only thing that could calm him; he leaned in and kissed Seth, slipping his tongue into the younger man's mouth.

The kiss was the last straw. Seth whined into Jacob's mouth as he came, pouring his hot juices into Jasper's mouth. Jasper swallowed convulsively, his throat working to gulp down every drop of the precious fluid. The taste was sharp and bitter with traces of sweet cinnamon and salt. It was heavenly.

Jasper pulled off of Seth's cock and he sat back on his heels, lazily stroking the younger man as he turned to study Jacob's dick with a bemused smile on his face.

Jacob frowned a little and slipped one finger under Jasper's chin, tilting the blond man's head up so that they were looking each other in the eye. "Is something the matter?" he asked, concern coloring his tone.

"No," Jasper said. "I was just remembering something that Seth said when y'all first picked me up."

Jacob noted that Jasper's Southern accent was a little thicker now and heavy with lust. He couldn't keep the grin off his face as he asked, "And what did he say that's got you smiling like that?"

Jasper gave him an evil little smirk. "He said that he was a master at cramming more stuff into less space," he replied. He looked up at Seth and said, "I see now that that was no idle boast." He turned back to Jacob and swallowed the throbbing rod whole, not stopping til his nose was pressed to the shaved-smooth skin at the base.

Jacob growled and squeezed his eyes shut. "Fuck!" he whispered. He gripped Jasper's head with both hands and thrust his cock further into Jasper's mouth, his tip hitting the back of the other man's throat and making him groan a little. Jasper adapted quickly; it had been a while since he'd last sucked a cock, but it was just like riding a bike. He inhaled the strong musk exuding from Jacob's skin and grabbed onto the rock-hard flesh of his ass.

Jacob started pumping his hips, slowly fucking Jasper's face and watching as little trickles of saliva slid from the corners of those full pink lips. "God, you've got a hot mouth," he said in a husky voice. "Feels so fuckin' good, making me want to cum right now. . . ." He kept going for a few seconds before stopping and reluctantly pulling his straining rod from Jasper's talented mouth. A thin string of spit and precum connected Jasper's lower lip to Jacob's cockhead, stretching to a good four inches before it finally snapped. Jacob crooked a finger under Jasper's chin and lifted the other man's eyes up to look at him. "But I'm not ready to do that just yet," he said.

"Why not?" Jasper asked.

Jacob gave him a crooked smile and gently gripped Jasper by his shoulders, pulling him to his feet and turning him around to face Seth. Seth smiled, knowing what was coming next. He took Jasper's hands and pulled him to the bed, turning the blond man around and gently pushing him onto it. He hooked his fingers in the waistband of Jasper's pants and pulled them and his underwear down his legs, leaving him naked on the dark-green comforter.

Seth couldn't suppress a low moan as he took in the sight of Jasper's body, pale tan skin stretched over slender but clearly-defined muscles. And his cock matched the rest of his body: nearly as long as Jacob's and curving up and over his belly, slightly darker than the rest of his body with the red tip practically glowing in the soft light. Seth wanted to taste it so badly and he did so, bending down and taking half of it on the first stroke.

Jasper groaned as Seth sucked him, moving on him with great enthusiasm. It was the best blowjob he'd had in two years, never mind that it was the _first _blowjob he'd had in two years. Seth's mouth was so hot and wet and his tongue was everywhere, hitting every nook and cranny. Jasper grabbed two fistfuls of Seth's hair and pulled on it as he tried to hold back, but it was next to impossible; Seth was too good and it had been far too long since any man had touched him like this. He thrust up into Seth's mouth and cried out as he came, his orgasm rolling through him like thunder as his body made up for lost time.

When it was over, he slumped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling, not really seeing it. He lifted his head after a moment and stared at Seth, their eyes locking on each other; they were both grinning like idiots as Seth climbed onto the bed and straddled Jasper's hips. They kissed and moaned into each other's mouths, not caring that the sounds came out all whiny and needy.

Jasper groaned as Seth's cock rubbed on his still-rigid shaft; he had no idea how he was still hard after such a powerful climax. _Probably due to an overabundance of testosterone, _he thought. _That and I haven't gotten laid for a while. I've built up quite a head of steam and I'm just now lettin' it out._ That was as good an explanation as any; indeed, it was the most plausible one he could come up with. _Now. . . where's our other partner in crime?_

He looked over Seth's shoulder to find Jake standing next to the bed, staring down at them and slowly jerking himself. He smiled up at the big man and held out one hand to him, inviting him to join them. Jacob accepted with a grin, climbing up behind Seth and pressing his massive frame on top of the smaller man. Jasper rested one hand on one of Jacob's rock-hard asscheeks, digging his nails into the skin and making Jacob groan.

Jasper rather enjoyed the sensation of being pinned down by two strong men; his cock twitched and tapped Seth's belly, leaving a wet spot on the russet skin. An idea had just occurred to him, one he thought that his lovers would enjoy. He pulled Jacob's head down, brushed his lips near the bigger man's ear, and he whispered, "I _really _want to feel the both of you right now. What do you say we plow Seth's rear forty together?"

That question earned him a pair of wide-eyed stares; he grinned back up at them and cupped Seth's ass in his hands, squeezing the pert mounds and spreading them wide. His cock slid up along Seth's crack, nestling between his cheeks like it belonged there.

Seth closed his eyes and moaned; he pushed his hips back, pressing Jasper's cock to Jacob's and working them both with a slow up-and-down rhythm. Both men shuddered and growled at the teasing movement, their precum wetting Seth's crack and Jacob's belly. Seth was leaking steadily onto Jasper's skin, his body quivering with anticipation.

Jacob braced himself on one hand, steadying Seth and holding him still with the other. "Okay," he said. "You're the boss. . . this time." He smiled and slid his hand under the nearest pillow, pulling out a bottle of lube.

Jasper looked at the bottle and back up at Jacob and Seth. "I see y'all prepared for this eventuality," he said with a little smirk.

"Yeah," Seth said, a slight blush coloring his cheeks and neck. "We usually keep at least two on standby so we don't have to break our concentration searching for it." He hissed through his teeth as Jacob squirted some of the cold fluid onto his hole and started working it around, warming it a little before pushing a finger inside the tight orifice. He clenched his hole around the intruder, squeezing it in a viselike grip.

Jasper rubbed Seth's back and kissed him as he worked his own finger in beside Jacob's. Seth whimpered and bucked his hips, trying to work both digits deeper inside him. Jacob held him still and kissed his back between his shoulderblades. "Patience, baby," he whispered in Seth's ear. "Gotta stretch you first. It's been a while since you were DP-ed and we don't want to hurt you." He and Jasper punctuated the statement by working another finger each into Seth's ass, scissoring them apart and opening him wider. Seth let loose a high-pitched whine as they found his prostate and tapped it, making him gasp and shudder. When he was slick enough, Jacob and Jasper pulled their fingers free. Seth whined at the empty feeling in his ass, but he took comfort in the fact that he was about to be filled by a couple of things that were far more substantial.

Jacob slicked his cock with some of the lube and did the same for Jasper. The blond man groaned as the fluid was applied; the sensation was almost enough to make him cum again. When they were as slippery as they were going to get, Jacob laid his cock on top of Jasper's and pressed both their tips to Seth's hole. They paused for a moment, letting Seth feel them at his entrance as they petted his back and sides. Seth closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths, preparing himself; then he looked from Jasper to Jacob and said, "I'm ready. Make love to me. Please."

That last word was all they needed to hear. Jacob and Jasper pushed into Seth at the same time, stretching him to his limits as they entered him. Seth whimpered as the pain nearly overwhelmed him. Jasper nearly pulled out, but Seth clenched his hole as tight as he could to keep them both inside him. The two bigger men groaned and slowed their pace, drawing out the sensations til they were sharp as razors. Jacob and Jasper established a rhythm, one pulling back as one pushed in; this maneuver made certain that Seth was never left empty and had him gasping and moaning loud enough to wake their neighbors.

Jasper pulled Seth down into a kiss and swallowed the younger man's sounds, making as if he were feeding on them. His hands ran over Seth and Jacob's bodies, stroking whatever skin they could reach and smearing the sweat coating them. He groaned as Seth's channel started to spasm, squeezing the two dicks filling him up. The kiss broke on its own and Jasper looked over Seth's shoulder into Jacob's eyes. Jacob leaned down and kissed him, sealing their lips together without missing a stroke. They growled together, the sound hitting Seth in the groin and sending him over the edge; he pressed his face into Jasper's neck to muffle his whimpers as he came, pumping his hot juice between his and Jasper's bodies. His ass clamped down on his lovers' rods, squeezing them hard and sending them over the edge.

Jasper threw his head back and cried out as he emptied two years' worth of loneliness and need into the smaller man's body; a moment later, he felt the rush of wetness and heat as Jacob pumped his own load into Seth's chute. The energy between them pulsed with need and want and love, and Jasper swore that he could feel their heartbeats merging through the spot where their three bodies were joined.

Seth slumped on top of Jasper, panting as he tried to catch his breath. Jacob rested his weight on his forearms to keep from crushing his lovers under his oversized frame. They lay there like that for a few minutes, their breathing and heartbeats slowing as they recovered from their unusually powerful lovemaking.

Jasper felt boneless but satisfied as he lay beneath Seth and Jacob. The sex had been so intense; he didn't remember it ever being that white-hot before. It had been so long since he'd last felt any kind of release; he just chalked it up to finally ending the long abstinence and finding two men he wanted to keep with him for the rest of his life. He hugged them as close as he could; he couldn't wrap his arms all the way around them, but he managed well enough.

After he caught his breath, Jacob pulled out of Seth, his cock making a soft sucking sound as it slid free of the pleasantly constrictive channel. He stood and headed into the bathroom, returning a couple of minutes later with several washcloths and a small basin of warm water. Jasper realized what the big man was about to do and pulled Seth a little further up his body, moaning as his oversensitive rod left Seth's well-fucked hole. Seth nuzzled Jasper's neck just below the corner of his jaw, sighing as the combined loads trickled from him and made a small puddle on Jasper's skin.

Jacob took his time cleaning them up, showing his love with gentle pressure and slow strokes of the damp cloth. He took care of Seth's ass and rolled him onto his back; Seth arched his back, smiling up at him with half-open eyes as Jacob wiped up the sticky mess on his belly. Finally, Jacob took the second cloth and cleaned Jasper up, earning a contented sigh and another smile. Amazingly, none of their juices had made it to the comforter, other than the sweat that had run down their bodies.

It took another five minutes before Jasper and Seth regained enough energy to move again. When they could, Seth crawled over Jasper and stretched out in the middle of the bed, lying on his side. Jasper moved up beside him and lay down facing him and pulled the smaller man's arm over his waist; Jacob moved up behind Seth, spooning him from behind and draping his own arm over Jasper's hip. They exchanged several more kisses before Jacob and Seth closed their eyes and dropped off to sleep almost immediately.

Jasper reached back behind him and switched off the lights; letting his eyes adjust to the dim light, he studied his new lovers as they dreamed. He found himself thanking his car for finally dying on him; otherwise, he would never have met these angels. He laid his arm across both their hips and was settling down when he noticed the digital clock on the bedside table; it showed that nearly an hour and fifteen minutes had passed since he'd entered the room.

_Wow, _he thought. _I didn't think I'd last nearly that long the first time out of the gate. _He smiled to himself and snuggled up to his lovers. "Love you both," he whispered. Seth mumbled in his sleep and tightened his grip on Jasper's waist; Jacob snuffled a little and pressed his nose into the skin of Seth's neck. Jasper smiled once more, closed his eyes, and joined Jacob and Seth in Dreamland.

**Author's Note: **I am SO sorry for keeping everyone waiting for this one. I tried starting it nearly a dozen different ways and couldn't get it to go anywhere; it was really living up to the story's title. But it finally came out of neutral and here it is. I hope you like it. Please read and review. Thanks! :)


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